Insulating holder

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an insulating holder, and in particular to an insulating holder for a container for liquids, the container having a curved wall. The insulating holder includes a curved wall adapted to substantially surround the outer wall of the container and a base to substantially support the container within the holder. The wall can be readily curved to correspond to the curved outer wall of the container of liquid and may include an insulating part including single face corrugated cardboard configured so that the corrugations lie inside the wall and run in a vertical direction to assist to insulate the liquid in the container. The insulating holder may be used to maintain hot or cold temperatures or any temperature in between.

The present invention relates to an insulating holder, and in particularto an insulating holder for a container for liquids, the containerhaving a curved wall.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

A stubby holder is a familiar object to a person who enjoys a cold beerin a hot country, such as Australia. There are two known forms of stubbyholder, one soft, made of neoprene and one hard, made of rigid foam orpolystyrene.

The soft neoprene form stubby holder is shaped to surround a standardcan of drink, the elastic nature of the neoprene allowing for a tightfit. It is the tight fit and the insulating nature of the syntheticrubber neoprene material that keeps the drink cold. Neoprene works wellto insulate a can of cold drink but suffers from serious disadvantages.The material itself is expensive to produce, surprisingly heavy totransport, and when disposed of does not readily breakdown and so willcreate landfill.

The alternative, cheaper and lighter form of stubby holder, often usedin pubs is a rigid cylinder of foam, open at one end into which a can orbottle of cold drink is slid. Often the rigid foam is of a size ratherlarger than it needs to be so that it can be used with most containers.There is often a space around the drinks container and so the insulatingproperties are reduced. Other disadvantages of this form of cooler isthe rigid shape takes up space, is awkward to store or transport andgenerally inconvenient other than when used in a hospitalityenvironment.

At sporting events or festivals where beverages may be consumed outdoorsit is particularly of interest to keep these drinks cold. The holder hastwo purposes to remove the warm hand of the consumer away from warmingthe can or bottle and from insulating the can or bottle from the ambienttemperature. Neoprene stubby holders are often sold at these events, asthey can be used effectively. Many of these get thrown out and becomewaste, a waste of material and money. The foam form of stubby holder isless convenient again, due to the rigid nature of the material when usedin the outdoor situation and tend only to be used where they can bereturned to the venue after the event for reuse, and so are notdisposable.

Both forms of stubby holder are expensive to make, are inconvenient tostore and transport, and on disposal do not break down readily and socreate waste. Cardboard, and corrugated cardboard is a usefulbiodegradable material, that is economic to produce, light-weight, andgenerally useful for disposable materials. However, traditionaldouble-faced cardboard is a very stiff material and so not able to bebent around tight curves, such as a can of drink or bottle of wine, forexample.

The inventor of the subject application has developed a surprisinglybeneficial new form of insulating holder that is economic tomanufacture, made from a light material and efficiently works to holdand insulate the drink. In one form, use of a corrugated cardboardmaterial that can be used as an insulating holder solves a long feltwant to have a cardboard stubby holder, that is light, cheap to produceand biodegradable after disposal. The inventor's use of recycled andbiodegradable material, in preferred forms of the invention, enablesreuse of materials to make a holder that will itself readily breakdownand not create additional landfill. The advantages of being able tocarry the assembled holders, which flat-pack and then readily assemblefor use will be very useful for promotional materials, in particularwhen these promotional materials need to be transported to alocation-for example to a sporting event.

The inventor has developed a low cost, light-weight insulating holderwith numerous benefits over the prior art.

The following describes a non-limiting example of the invention beingused with reference to insulating cold drinks, such as a can of beer orsoft drink, or a bottle of wine. However, clearly the invention couldequally be applied to keeping a container of hot beverage warm, or forother sizes and shapes of container for hold or cold liquids, includingliquids not for consumption. It is not intended that the invention belimited to use with a can of beer or bottle of wine, or that thebeverage be cold.

For clarity, any prior art referred to herein, does not constitute anadmission that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge,in Australia or elsewhere.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an insulating holderthat at least ameliorates one or more of the aforementioned problems ofthe prior art. It is a further object of the present invention toprovide a method of assembly of an insulating holder that at leastameliorates one or more of the aforementioned problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides an insulating holder for acontainer of liquid having a curved outer wall and a base, theinsulating holder including:

-   -   a curved wall adapted to substantially surround the outer wall        of the container; and    -   a base, associated with the wall, to substantially support the        container within the holder,        wherein, the wall includes an insulating part including single        face corrugated cardboard configured so that the corrugations        lie inside the wall and run in a vertical direction to assist to        insulate the liquid in the container and the wall can be readily        curved to correspond to the curved outer wall of the container        of liquid.

Preferably, the insulating part is a corrugated part and thecorrugations assist to insulate the liquid in the container.

The insulating holder may be used to maintain hot or cold temperaturesor any temperature in between. Preferably, the insulating holder is usedto keep a cold drink cold when the ambient temperature is warm. Equallyhot drinks may be kept hot by use of the insulating holder. Theinsulation may take any suitable form.

Preferably, the insulating holder is a holder by which a person can holdthe container. The holder may be held directly in the hand. The holdermay include a handle, and the holder may be held by the handle.

The container may be any suitable container. The container may have across-section of any suitable shape. Most preferably, the container hasa curved outer wall. Most preferably, the curved outer wall of thecontainer curves around a base including a curved perimeter. Preferablythe base of the container is substantially circular. Alternatively, thecontainer may be substantially another shape in cross-section includingcurves. Preferably, the base is substantially circular and surrounded bya curved wall. Preferably, the base and curved wall together form agenerally cylindrical shape. The curved wall may be the curved wall of acan of drink. The curved wall may be the wall of a bottle of wine. Thecurved wall may be the wall of any suitable bottle.

The container may be made of any suitable material. The container may bean aluminium can. The container may be a glass bottle. The container maybe a plastic bottle.

Preferably, the liquid is a beverage for consumption. The beverage maybe any suitable beverage. The beverage may be chosen from the group:coffee; juice; soft drink; tea; water; wine; or mixed drinks. In otherforms of the invention the liquid may be replaced by a liquid not forconsumption that it may be wished to insulate. The liquid may also bereplaced by powder or gas in the container that it is desired toinsulate.

Preferably, the wall of the holder may take any suitable form.Preferably, the wall forms substantially a cylindrical shape in use.Preferably, the wall is of a size and shape suitable to surround theouter wall of the container. The wall of the holder is preferablyconfigured to be of very similar dimensions to those of the container soas to tightly surround the wall of the container. The wall of the holdermay be adapted to be just taller than the container. In another form ofthe invention wall of the holder may be adapted to surround the body ofthe container, a top of the container extending up above the upperperimeter of the wall. The wall may include decoration. The wall mayinclude branding or trade marks. The wall may be patterned or otherwisemade attractive. The outer surface of the wall of the holder may includeadvertising. The advertising may be to promote a particular event.

In one form of the invention the holder may be assembled from a singlepiece of cut material. Preferably, the wall of the holder is made ofsingle face corrugated cardboard. The single face corrugated cardboardmay be chosen from the group: “A flute”; “B flute; and “C flute”. Thecorrugated cardboard may be any suitable single face corrugatedcardboard material. The single face corrugated cardboard may be “Cflute” with 128 flutes per metre. The cut material may be die cut singleface cardboard. Preferably, in this form of the invention, wall may beformed as two or more parts attached to a central base. In this form ofthe invention the two parts of the wall may curve around the centralbase to form a cylinder during assembly. A label may be applied aroundthe walls to hold them in place. Or a sleeve arrangement may be usedpassed over the cylinder of the assembled walls, which can be pressedflat when not in use. In this form of the invention the base may bepressed out during the flat state and pushed in during erection, readyfor use. Preferably, pressing out of the base, in this form of theinvention assists to erect the holder for use.

In another form of the invention formed form a single sheet of materialthe wall and base may be attached to one another and a projection extendfrom the base. In this form of the invention, the wall is folded beforebeing secured into a circular wall around a circular base. Duringfolding one side of the holder is formed by two parts of the wall withthe projection completing the side. A label may be used to secure thethree parts of the wall together. Alternatively a sleeve may be appliedover the cylinder to secure in place. A cylindrical sleeve may be usedwith any of the variants of the invention. The cylindrical sleeve mayassist to hold the wall together. The cylindrical sleeve may includingadvertising. The cylindrical sleeve may be replaced by a label appliedaround the wall of the holder. Adhesive may be used for either of theother forms of invention where required to secure parts during assembly.

A label may be applied to the holder. One or more label may be appliedto any part of the holder for decoration or promotional purposes.Preferably, during assembly a label is applied around the wall. Thelabel may contribute to the overall functional strength of the holder.Preferably, the label is applied once the rest of the holder has beenassembled. Alternatively, a label may be applied at any stage.

The wall of the insulating holder may be made of any suitable materialor combination of materials. Preferably, the wall of the insulatingholder is made of a paper based material. Preferably, the wall is madeof corrugated cardboard material suitable to curve around the wall ofthe container. Most preferably, the wall of the holder is substantiallymade of single face corrugated cardboard. Most preferably, the wall ofthe holder includes a corrugated part and the corrugated part assists toinsulate the container. Preferably, the corrugated part is the wallbeing made of single face corrugated cardboard. Preferably, thecorrugated part assists insulation by creating narrow air pockets aroundthe container. Preferably, the narrow air pockets are longitudinal innature. Preferably, a plurality of longitudinal air pockets are formedin the wall of the holder running in a vertical direction. Preferably,the air-pockets are approximately 8 millimetres in width. Theair-pockets may be 7.8 millimetres in width. Preferably, verticalcorrugations are including and these assist to drain any condensationaway. In an alternative form of the invention the corrugated part couldbe replaced by other forms of creating longitudinal air pockets.

Preferably, the inner surface of the holder is to at least some extentwater-resistant. The inner surface of the holder may, in one form of theinvention be coated with wax so as to be hydrophobic. Other forms ofmaking the inner surface hydrophobic could be used instead. The otherand inner surfaces of the wall could be made hydrophobic, and the basemay be as well in another form of the invention. The wax layer isbeneficial to assist for any moisture to run away along the flutes,rather than pooling or soaking in to the wall or base.

Preferably, the wall is adapted to be able to curve smoothly to a shapesuitable for receipt of a container. Preferably, the wall is acorrugated material able to readily curve into a shape suitable forreceipt of a container or liquid. Preferably, the corrugated part doesnot prevent the ready curving of the wall into a curve suitable forreceipt of a can or bottle. Preferably, the number of flutes of thecorrugated cardboard is suitable to enable the ready curving of thewall. The curve is important as standard corrugated card or other rigidmaterials will not work as they are unsuitable to make the tight curvenecessary to insulate a can or bottle.

Preferably, the wall is made of biodegradable material. Most preferably,the wall is made of a biodegradable material that will readilybreakdown. Most preferably, the base is made of biodegradable material.Preferably, the insulating holder is substantially made of abiodegradable material.

Preferably, the base of the holder is of a similar shape to the shape ofthe base of the container. The base may take any suitable shape.Preferably, the base includes a curved perimeter. Preferably, the baseis substantially circular. Preferably, the base and wall together formsubstantially a cylindrical shape. Preferably, the height of thecylindrical shape is configured to suit the height of the container.Preferably, the cylindrical shape is configured to be substantiallysimilar to the shape of the container so as to be a tight fit duringuse.

The base may be size to be somewhat smaller than the base of thecontainer. The reason for this is to enable there to be a small gaparound the edge, which is beneficial for several reasons to preventbuild-up of moisture, and to facilitate flat-packing as describedfurther below. Preferably, moisture is allowed to drain from the holderthrough or about the base. The base may include holes to enabledrainage. Preferably, the base is adapted to be slightly smaller indiameter than the base of the container. Most preferably, the base ofthe holder is sized to have a diameter slightly smaller than that of thecontainer so a small gap is created between the edge of the base of theholder the bottom edge of the wall of the holder. Preferably, the gapenables liquid to drain from the holder. The inclusion of a gap may bebeneficial when the wall and or base are made of a paper based materialas it prevents pooling of moisture which may then soak into the paper.

Preferably, the association is the attachment of the base to the wall ofthe insulating holder. The association may be a permanent or temporaryattachment to the wall of the insulating holder. Preferably, the base isstrongly attached to the wall of the holder. The attachment may bethrough use of a suitable adhesive.

Preferably, the base includes at least one tab projecting out and thetab is used to attach the base to the wall. The tab may be any suitableshape. Preferably, the tab is substantially rectangular in shape.Preferably, a pair of tabs are included, projecting out on either sideof the base. Preferably, the tabs are made of a suitably strong paper orcard material. Preferably, a pair of rectangular tabs extend from thebase and attach substantially the height of the wall of the holder toprovide maximum supportive strength to the base. In other forms of theinvention the or each tab may extend only some of the way up the heightof the wall of the holder.

There may be a single rectangular tab extending from one side of thebase to attach up one side of the wall formed into a cylinder curvedover the top and down the other side to attach to the other side of thewall. Most preferably, the tab attaches to the base to form a strongcircle around the base and wall. The part above the wall can be used asa handle.

A handle may be included in any of the forms of the invention. Thehandle may take any suitable form. The handle may be attached to any ofthe wall, base or itself. Preferably, where the container is a winebottle a handle is included to assist to carry the bottle.

The tab may be a strip formed separate to the base but attached in thesame way. A longitudinal rectangular strip may be used with the base andthe strip is attached across the base and the two parts of the stripextending on either side can then be attached to the wall. Mostpreferably, a strip is included that is attached across the base and tothe wall on either side. Preferably, the strip provides strength andsupport to the holder. Preferably, in this form of the invention thestrip is made of strong cardboard material.

Most preferably, a substantially circular base is included and the tabor strip is attached so that there is a small gap between the edge ofthe base and the wall. Preferably, part of the tab or strip extendsacross this gap on either side of the base before attaching to the wall.The tab or strip on either side may facilitate flat-packing of theholder. Preferably, the manner of attachment of the base to the wallenables ready movement between an erect and flat state.

Preferably, the configuration and attachment of the base to the wallstrongly supports the container within the holder. Preferably, thecontainer is maintained within the holder by use of the base as isattached to the wall. That is the container rests on the base during useand the base prevents the container from falling out. In another form ofthe invention the base may be omitted entirely and the wall used forinsulating alone around the wall.

Preferably, the base includes a means to readily transform from asupport for the container to a flat base. Preferably, the base includesa fold. Preferably, the fold runs across the base. Preferably, the baseincludes a fold across the middle and it is along this fold the basefolds during flat-packing. Most preferably, the fold runs substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of the pair of tabs or strips attachingthe base to the wall. Preferably, when folded the base can be completelycontained within the wall.

Preferably, the holder is readily moveable between an erect and flatstate. Preferably, the container is stored flat and readily erected intoa cylindrical shape ready for receipt of a container of liquid.Preferably, the wall is cylindrical in use but includes a fold on eitherside so that the wall can sit flat when flat packed. Preferably, whenflat packed the holder is no more than a 10 millimetres high.Preferably, when flat packed the holder is no more than 8 millimetreshigh. Any suitable flat height could be used for the holder in the flatstate. Preferably, the holder can be moved between a flat state and anerect state in a single move. Preferably, squeezing the sides of thewall in the flat state causes the unfolding of the base and erection ofthe holder ready for use. In one form of the invention the base may bepressed up to erect the holder ready for use.

Preferably, the holder can be provided to the end user fully assembledbut flat packed. Preferably, on a small action is required to erect theholder ready for use. The small action may be to squeeze the wall orsides of the holder. The small action may be to push the base out. Thesmall action may be to pull the base out. Preferably, the base acts as astrut to maintain the holder in the erect state, until it is desired toflatten the holder again. Preferably, the holder can be readilyflattened with one hand. Preferably, a squeeze on the walls enables theholder to flatten.

Preferably, the holder is made of light-weight material that is easy totransport. Preferably, the holder is made of material which is economicto produce. Preferably, the holder is made of biodegradable material.

Preferably, the container of liquid is a can of drink and the insulatingholder is a disposable stubby holder.

In another preferred form of the invention the container of liquid is abottle of wine and the wall is adapted to be of a suitable height tosubstantially surround the wall and a handle is included to facilitatethe carrying of the bottle of wine.

Accordingly, the present invention provides, in a variant, an insulatingholder for a container of liquid having an outer wall and a base, theinsulating holder including:

-   -   a wall adapted to substantially surround the outer wall of the        container; and    -   a base, associated with the wall,        wherein, the insulating holder is substantially made of        light-weight biodegradable material and is provided erected and        ready for use to the consumer.

Accordingly the present invention provides, in a further variant, aninsulating holder for a container of liquid, the insulating holderincluding:

-   -   a wall adapted to correspond to the outer wall of the container        of liquid; and    -   a base, associated with the wall to assist to maintain the        container of liquid in the holder,        wherein, the wall is substantially made of a single faced        corrugated cardboard material.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an insulating holder for acontainer of liquid having an outer wall and a base, the insulatingholder including:

-   -   a wall adapted to substantially surround the outer wall of the        container; and    -   a base, associated with the wall,        wherein, the insulating holder is readily changed between a        substantially flat-packed and erect state for use.

The present invention also provides a method of use of an insulatingholder for a container of liquid, the insulating holder including a walland a base, associated with the wall, the method including the followingsteps:

-   -   a) squeezing the sides of the wall to erect the holder for use;    -   b) using the holder by placing a container of liquid therein;    -   c) removing the container after use;    -   d) squeezing the sides of the wall again to flatten the holder        for storage or transportation.        Preferably, the base may be pressed or pushed out to erect or        flatten the holder. In another form of the invention, only the        base need be pressed or pulled out to move the holder between        the erect and flat state.

The holder may be assembled before the first step.

The present invention also provides a first method of assembly of aninsulating holder including a curved wall and associated base,configured to receive a container of liquid, the method including thefollowing steps:

-   -   a) curving the wall into a cylinder shape, suitable to receive        the container of liquid; and    -   b) attaching the base to the wall.

The method may also include a step of squeezing the insulating holderafter use to put in a flattened state ready for storage ortransportation. The squeezing step may occur before use and in this casethe insulating holder will need to be erected before use. The movementbetween the erect and flat state may be as described in the above methodof use.

The method may include application of a label to the insulating holderduring assembly. The label may include a constructive purpose, such asto assist to maintain the wall in a cylinder shape.

The present invention also provides a method of assembly of aninsulating holder for a container of liquid, the insulating containerincluding a wall, base and a projection from the base, the methodincluding the following steps:

-   -   a) folding the wall to create a gap;    -   b) folding the base along a central fold, over the wall, within        the created gap;    -   c) folding the projection, over the folded base, to fill the        gap;    -   d) securing the parts of the wall and projection together to        create a flattened cylinder which on erection can receive the        container of liquid.

The methods may include the further step at any suitable point ofapplying wax to the inner surface of the wall to make it substantiallyhydrophobic.

The insulating holder of any of the methods may be the insulating holderof the invention in any of its forms or variants.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in connection with non-limitingpreferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a wall of an insulating holder,according to first a preferred embodiment of the invention, curved intoshape;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above of a sheet for use to make thewall of the insulating holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view from below of the base and side tabs for use withthe wall of the insulating holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the insulated holder components of FIGS.1 to 3, in the erected and assembled state;

FIG. 5 is the perspective view of the insulated holder of FIG. 4 with alabel being applied around the body;

FIG. 6 is a perspective bottom view of the insulating holder of FIGS. 1to 5, assembled but flat-packed for storage or transportation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective front view of the insulated holder of FIGS. 1 to6 in use, complete with a can of cold drink;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view from above of a folded sheet of single facecorrugated cardboard for use for an insulated holder according to asecond preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a folded view of the sheet for the insulating holder of FIG.8, prior to die cutting;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the folded sheet of FIG. 9, die cut intoshape;

FIG. 11 is perspective view of a folded label, glued and then used tohold the cut and erected sheet of FIGS. 8 to 10 together;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the folding of the cut sheet of theholder of FIGS. 8 to 10 during assembly;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view from above of the insulating holder ofFIGS. 8 to 12, assembled with the label applied and flat-packed in halffor storage or transportation;

FIG. 14 is a plan view from above of the die cut sheet of FIG. 10 of theinsulating holder according to the second embodiment, illustrating adifferent method of assembly;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIG. 14 being folded upand assembled;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIGS. 14 and 15 beingassembled, and the walls curved around;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIGS. 14 to 16, erectedinto a cylinder shape;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the insulating holder of FIG. 17,having a label applied to be fully assembled and erected;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an insulating holder according to thirdpreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view from above of a sheet for use for theinsulated holder of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a plan view from below of a base and tabs for use with thesheet of FIGS. 19 and 20 to assemble and erect the insulating holder ofthe third embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the insulating holder of FIGS. 19 to21, assembled and erected and including a handle;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the insulating holder of FIG. 22 havinga label applied;

FIG. 24 a perspective view of the insulating holder of FIGS. 19 to 23,assembled and flat-packed for storage or transportation;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the insulating holder of FIGS. 19 to24, in use with a wine bottle;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of a sheet for assembly into an insulated holderaccording to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIG. 26 being foldedduring assembly;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIGS. 26 and 27 beingfurther folded during assembly;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIGS. 26 to 28 beingfurther folded again, during assembly to form a flat-packed insulatingholder; and

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the assembled insulating holder ofFIGS. 26 to 29 having a label applied to hold the assembly together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS INCLUDING A BEST METHOD

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, a first preferred embodiment of the inventionwill be described, where insulating holder 1, including sheet 2, areillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Insulating holder 1 has body 10, with wall12 and base 14. In the various forms of the invention it can be seenthat the whole holder can be made from a single sheet or in severalparts, such as the base and wall separately and then assembled and heldtogether during manufacture. All of holder 1, as illustrated, is madefrom a light-weight biodegradable material, namely cardboard, as isdescribed further below. Other materials could be used in alternativeforms of the invention, such as lightweight paper, layered material orplastics material, or a combination of materials, most preferably withgood biodegradable properties.

Base 14 has side tabs 15, one on either side of base 14 which areattached to wall 12 during assembly, refer FIG. 3 in particular. Base 14is generally circular, with elongate rectangular tabs 15 extending onopposite sides. A strong paper glue is used as a suitable adhesive forside tabs 15 to wall 12. Side tabs 15, as shown, extend from base 14 tothe upper edge of wall 12 to provide maximum resistance against thedownward force due to the weight of the container of liquid to beinsulated. In other forms of the invention a circular base could be usedwith a long strip which runs under base 14 and attaches on either sideof wall 12 to maintain base 14 firmly in place. Also a handle could beincluded by extending tabs 15 and attaching them together above wall 12.Circular base 14 is sized to fit within the cylinder formed by curvingof wall 12, as described below, with a small gap around the edge. Base14 and side tabs 15 are illustrated made of a flat cardboard material,with good strength properties to provide strength and structure toassembled holder 1. Preferably, wax has been applied to the cardboard tomake it hydrophobic. A wax layer is applied to the inner surface of thecardboard during manufacture to make the cardboard resistant to water.All of the structural base and tab parts should be made of a materialwhich is resistant to moisture as there is likely to be somecondensation from the container. The gap between the edge of wall 12 andbase 14 is useful here to enable condensation to escape, rather thanpool and soak into the cardboard. Moisture can run down the waxed flutesand out of holder one through the gap. The gap is also useful tofacilitate the flat-packing of holder 1, as described further below.

Wall 12 has a flat outer surface 16 and a corrugated inner surface 18;wall 12 is therefore made of a single face corrugated cardboardmaterial, refer FIG. 2 in particular. Flat outer surface 16 is shownmade of a flat cardboard material to be comfortable to hold in the hand.Corrugated inner surface 18 can be varied as to the spacing of thecorrugations somewhat but is illustrated as single face “C flute” whichhas 128 flutes per metre and a total thickness of around 4 millimetres.Other types of material, including single face “A flute” or “B flute”could also be used, as would be understood by the person skilled in theart. Use of single face corrugated cardboard material has been found tobe immensely beneficial to overcome numerous problems of existing stubbyholders, such as the weight, landfill waste creation, and the cost ofproduction. Most beneficially this light, cheap and biodegradablematerial has good insulating properties and can be readily formed into asuitable shape for use with a can or bottle.

The ends of wall 12 meet at join 20, and importantly readily curve toform a neat, cylinder shape very similar to that of a standard can ofdrink. Join 20 may overlap and be glued but as shown is fixed in placeby tabs 15. Other forms of construction could be used. The single facecorrugated card material has less rigidity than standard corrugatedcardboard, and this is an important aspect of this form of theinvention. Standard corrugated cardboard is, by design, a rigid materialwith a corrugated central layer between two flat layers. Corrugatedcardboard was developed to be a rigid material but significantly lighterto transport and cheaper to manufacture than the previously usedalternatives of wood, plastics or metal. If you take a length ofstandard corrugated card and try to bend it into a curve, such as arounda standard drink can, or bottle, it cannot be done. The inherentrigidity and resistance to bending of the double-surfaced corrugatedcardboard means that it folds at right angles rather than curving. Itwould, therefore, be very difficult or impossible to form a piece ofstandard corrugated cardboard around a can or bottle.

To insulate there needs to be a fairly tight fit of the insulatingholder around the can or bottle. Any large gaps or excessive air spacewill lead to temperature transfer, likely to warm a cold drink morequickly, for example, than a can tightly held in a well-insulatedholder. The tight hold is one of the benefits of use of neoprene,however the cost, weight and space required during transportation is asignificant drawback to use of neoprene stubby holders. The numerouscorrugations create small air pockets equally spaced around the innersurface of wall 12, which are ideal to thermally insulate. The cleveruse of the single sided corrugated card and the particular form of theinsulating holder overcomes a long felt want for a lightweight,biodegradable material that can be used, and work effectively, toinsulate a can or bottle. There are of course the numerous furtheradvantages of the invention as are described in more detail below.

Once wall 12 is secured by tabs 15, refer FIG. 4, label 19 is appliedaround some of wall 12, refer FIG. 5. Label 19 is optional but would beused to decorate holder 1 or to include information, advertising orbrand promotions. Label 19 is illustrated as a rectangular paper label,glued around most of wall 12. Other forms of label 19 could be used suchas a plastic label, sleeve or there may be several labels applied towall 12.

It is envisaged that the invention will be used by sporting events,music festivals and other large events. Promoters of the events caninclude having their own branding applied for an event. Label 19 may notbe applied until shortly before use of holder 1, and therefore if theevent changes or is cancelled then alternative labels can be appliedinstead. An example of the clever advantages of holder 1 could be wherea sports event is occurring at a distant location, holders 1 withsuitable event specific labels can be sent flat packed, or carried withthe equipment taking up far less space and weighing far less thanneoprene holders for example. At the sporting event the promoters cangive out the holders bearing the advertising labels so that they can getvaluable promotion, but with far less cost and inconvenience oftransportation. After the event, the disposable and biodegradable natureof the holder means they can be readily disposed of rather than creatingadditional landfill.

Base 14 includes fold 21, refer FIG. 3 prior to assembly and FIG. 6 whenassembled and flat-packed. It is fold 21 which enables assembled holder1 to be readily flat-packed, such as to be carried to an event or storedby a retailer. It is a further benefit to the invention that holder 1can be easily erected for sale, not requiring any assembly by the user,but is flat-packed so as to reduce space. Fold 21 in base 14 enablesholder 1 to be flattened, along the line of fold 21, by pressing on thesides of wall 12. A gentle squeeze of the sides of wall 12 reverses theprocess and holder 1 is erected and ready for use. Simple and effective,the smart form and material of the invention provides a holder than canbe picked up and used with one hand, straight from being in a storableor transportable form. The strength and flexibility of the design is notto be underestimated as these key advantages enable holder 1 to workvery well, and flatten to only 8 millimetres in height when not in use.Clearly, where a great may items are to be stored or transported needingon a small space and weight allowance, of only a few grams. Holder 1weighs approximately 7 to 10 grams, depending on whether a label is usedand the type, and whether a wax coating is used on the internal surface.

When assembled insulating holder 1 can receive can of drink 22 insideand be held in the hand of a person (not illustrated) whereby can ofdrink 22 is insulated from the hand of the person and the ambient airtemperature. If holder 1 is provided to the person flat, they can simplysqueeze the sides and the already erected holder 1 is ready immediatelyfor use. Can 22 may then be slid inside wall 12 with corrugated side 18providing good insulating properties, and flat side 16 being held by theperson. During use can 22 can be kept cooler by use of holder 1, than byholding in the warm hand of the person and exposing to the ambienttemperate, in summer. The invention could also be used to maintain thetemperature of hot drinks, such as tea, coffee or soup when out inwinter.

The inventor has developed an invention that has numerous advantagesover the prior art due to the surprisingly clever use of single facecorrugated cardboard and the desire to make an economic, disposable andbiodegradable drinks holder.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 13, a second preferred embodiment of theinvention will be described, similar to the first and with similarreference numerals used.

Insulating holder 101, refer FIG. 13, has body 110, with walls 112 and113 which join to fall a single wall in use, around base 114. FIG. 8illustrates sheet 102 of single face corrugated cardboard from whichbody 110 is cut and formed during the manufacturing process. A die cutprocess is used to cut flat sheet 102, once folded as in FIG. 9 into theshape as illustrated in FIG. 10, with circular base 114 lying betweenrectangular walls 112 and 113. The shape of base 114 and walls 112 and113 is useful but could be varied slightly.

Following cutting, body 110 has been formed from sheet 102 with a flatsurface 116 and a corrugated surface 118. FIG. 11 illustrates labelfolded and formed into a cylinder shape that can be fitted overassembled body 110 and glued in place to assembly holder 101. FIG. 12illustrates the folding, including along fold 121 of base 114. Thecurving of walls 12 and 13 again is made possible by the use of theflexible but strong single face corrugated cardboard material. FIG. 13illustrates the assembled holder 101 flat-packed for transportation. Toassemble for use the person need only push in base 114 and holder 101will be erected. Holder 101 is similar to holder 1, however base 114 isformed integrally and extends out to flat-pack so that the whole holderis very flat, taking up less space for storage or transportation.Clearly there is scope for some variation in the arrangement of wallsand base.

Referring to FIGS. 13 to 18 a different method of assembly of the secondpreferred embodiment of the invention is described. Body 101 is the sameincluding walls 112 and 113 and base 114 between them, die cut from asheet of single face corrugated cardboard. FIGS. 15 and 16 in particularshow the curving of walls 112 and 113 around base 114 during assembly,with flat surface 116 outermost and corrugated surface 118 inside. Endsof walls 112 and 113 come together at join 120 as can be seen inparticular in FIG. 17. Once formed into a cylinder shape, curved to asuitable size and shape to receive a can of drink, label 119 can beapplied. Label 119 is similar to label 19 and is wrapped around walls112 and 113 to hold together. Equally label 119 could be slide overassembled walls 112 and 113 or take other suitable forms.

A wax layer is applied during manufacture so that the inner surface inuse is hydrophobic, useful to resist water from the can of drink or thelike entering holder 101.

Either method of assembly, of the second embodiment creates a strongholder for use with a can of drink, not shown, which is light-weight andcan be flat-packed.

Referring to FIGS. 19 to 25, a third preferred embodiment of theinvention will be described, with reference numerals similar to thefirst and second embodiments. The third preferred embodiment works inthe same way, in particular to the first embodiment but is sized toreceive a wine bottle. It is envisaged that use of holder 201 will bepopular for bottles of wine at events, or at the point of sale, forexample.

In FIGS. 19 to 25 insulating holder 201 is made of sheet 201, and hasbody 210, with wall 212 and base 214. Again, all of holder 201 is madefrom a light-weight biodegradable cardboard material but other suitablematerials could be used instead.

Base 214 has a single long side tab 15, rather than the two of the firstembodiment. Long tab 15 is assembled in the same way to secure andsupport the curved body 210. Base 214 is also generally circular, withflattened sides and tab 215 an elongate rectangle shape. A strong glueis used during assembly, to affix base 214 to wall 212 by tab 15 as isdescribed further below.

Wall 212 has a flat outer surface 216 and a corrugated inner surface 218being made of a single surface corrugated cardboard, as is particularuseful. The inner surface is waxed during manufacture so as to resistwater. Alternative, suitable materials could be used instead. Thecorrugated part of wall 212 lies on the inside to create an insulatinglayer while the flat outer layer is comfortable to be held in the handof the person and protects the rest of holder 201, in use.

The ends of wall 212 are curved around to meet at join 220 ready forsecuring in the assembled form. Tab 215 can then be glued up one side ofwall 212 around where a handle portion is formed above body 212 and downthe other side of wall 212 to be secured to base 214. The looping aroundof long tab 215 differs slightly from the first embodiment but createsthe strong handle which is added benefit. When a person is drinking acan of drink say it is quite light and easily carried and drunk. With abottle of wine, as is the intended use of the third embodiment thecontents is much heavier and it is likely that the bottle will becarried from one location to another before consumption. The handle isthen very useful to remove the bottle away from the hand of theconsumer, so that the bottle of chilled wine stays cool until it arrivesat its destination, ready for consumption. The insulating properties ofholder 201 would be useful in many situations, for example purchase ofchilled wine and carrying to a restaurant or picnic.

Once erected label 219 can be applied around some of wall 212. Againlabel 219 could be used to assist to hold wall 212 in place and surroundsome or all of wall 212. In other forms of the invention label 219 maybe omitted. Label 19 is useful however for advertising purposes forexample. Handle 224 portion of tab 215 stands proud above the level ofwall 212 and label 219 when applied with plenty of space to be held inthe hand of the user. Handle 224 is adapted to be taller in use thanbottle of wine 226. Wine bottles are generally a standard height butthis can be varied, along with the particular dimensions of holder 201to suit the needs of the user and the container to be kept insulated.Other containers such as bottle of milk or soft drink could equally bekept cool by use of the invention.

Base 214 includes fold 221 which enables assembled holder 201 to bereadily flat-packed, such as to be carried to an event or stored by aretailer. It is a further benefit to the invention that holder 201 canbe easily erected for sale, not requiring any assembly by the user, butis flat-packed so as to reduce space. Fold 221 in base 214 enablesholder 201 to be flattened, along the line of fold 221, by pressing onthe sides of wall 212. A gentle squeeze of the sides of wall 212 willerect holder 201 ready for wine bottle 226 to be placed inside to beinsulated.

Referring to FIGS. 26 to 30, a fourth preferred embodiment of theinvention will be described, similar to the previously describedembodiments and given similar reference numerals. Insulating holder 301,has body 310, with wall 312 attached to base 314 with projection 315 allformed from a sheet of single face corrugated cardboard having a flatwall surface 316 and a corrugated surface 318. Again the corrugatedsurface is waxed during manufacture and before supply to the consumer.The particular plan shape can be seen in FIG. 26, having been die cutfrom the sheet of single face corrugated cardboard. Other forms ofcutting could be used instead. During assembly, wall 312 is folded inthree, with the two sides equal folded in towards the largest part.

Fold 321 lies across base 314 to enable the flattening of holder 301once assembled. A further folds 328 and 330 are also included on eitherside of base 314 at the junction with wall 312 and part 315respectively. These folds enable base 314 to be folded in half alongfold 321 and then onto wall 312 along fold 328 before part 315 is foldedover base 314 on wall 312 along fold 330. The two folds of wall 312, notlabelled, enable the folding in of those parts over wall 312 and part315 is configured to fit exactly between the form the completed holder.The completed holder can then be glued, base 314 popped out and thenature of the single face corrugated cardboard material enables curvingof the flat surfaces to form a cylinder. Label 319 is applied and can beused to assist in holding holder 301 together, by securing across thefolded portions of wall 312 with part 315 between them. Alternatively,label 319 or be applied afterwards to some or all of the outer surfaceof body 310. Once base 314 is pressed to enable holder 301 to be threedimensional the structure is ready for use with a can or bottle of colddrink for example.

As described with respect to the various embodiments the exact method ofassembly can be varied. The methods described for each embodiment, maysimilarly be used for any of the other embodiments, where appropriate.

Some or all of the surfaces, of any of the described embodiments mayinclude a wax layer to make hydrophobic.

In its various forms and methods of construction the core concept of theinvention to provide a light-weight insulated holder than can be readilymoved between a flat and erect state is provided, that is likely toprove popular once launched into the public domain.

Industrial Applicability

It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that changes may bemade to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, in its various aspects.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST: Emb. 1 Emb. 2 Emb. 3 Emb. 4 1 Insulating 101Insulating 201 Insulating 301 Insulating holder holder holder holder 102Sheet 202 Sheet 302 Sheet 10 Body 110 Body 210 Body 312 Body 12 Wall 112Wall 212 Wall 318 Wall 113 Wall 213 Wall 14 Base 114 Base 214 Base 314Base 15 Side tabs 315 Part 16 Flat wall 116 Flat wall 216 Flat wall 316Flat wall surface surface part surface surface 117 Flat wall surfacepart 18 Corrugated 118 Corrugated 218 Corrugated 318 Corrugated wallsurface wall surface wall wall surface part surface 119 Corrugated wallsurface part 20 End 120 End 220 End End 21 Fold in base 121 Fold in base221 Fold in 321 Fold in base base 22 Can of drink Can of Can of drinkdrink 24 224 Handle 26 226 Wine bottle 28 328 Fold 30 330 Fold 32 332Label

1. An insulating holder for a container of liquid having a curved outerwall and a base, the insulating holder including: a curved wall adaptedto substantially surround the outer wall of the container; and a base,associated with the wall, to substantially support the container withinthe holder, wherein, the wall includes an insulating part includingsingle face corrugated cardboard configured so that the corrugations lieinside the wall and run in a vertical direction to assist to insulatethe liquid in the container, and the wall can be readily curved tocorrespond to the curved outer wall of the container of liquid.
 2. Theinsulating holder according to claim 1, wherein the container of liquidis a can or bottle.
 3. The insulating holder according to claim 1,wherein the wall forms substantially a cylindrical shape in use.
 4. Theinsulating holder according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of thewall includes advertising.
 5. The insulating holder according to claim1, wherein wall is formed as two or more parts attached to a centralbase and two parts of the wall curve around the central base to form acylinder during assembly.
 6. The insulating holder according to claim 5,wherein the wall and base are formed from a single sheet of materialwith a projection extending from the base and during assembly the wallis folded before being secured into a circular wall around a circularbase with the projection completing the side of the wall.
 7. Theinsulating holder according to claim 1, wherein a cylindrical sleeve isused to hold the wall together.
 8. The insulating holder according toclaim 1, wherein the corrugated part assists insulation by creating aplurality of longitudinal air pockets formed in the wall of the holderrunning in a vertical direction.
 9. The insulating holder according toclaim 1, wherein the vertical corrugations assist to drain anycondensation away.
 10. The insulating holder according to claim 1,wherein moisture is allowed to drain from the holder through or aboutthe base.
 11. The insulating holder according to claim 1, wherein thebase includes at least one tab projecting out and the tab is used toattach the base to the wall.
 12. The insulating holder according toclaim 11, wherein a pair of tabs are included, projecting out on eitherside of the base.
 13. The insulating holder according to claim 1,wherein a handle is included.
 14. The insulating holder according toclaim 1, wherein a longitudinal rectangular strip is used with the baseand the strip is attached across the base and the two parts of the stripextending on either side can then be attached to the wall and the stripprovides strength and support to the holder.
 15. The insulating holderaccording to claim 14, wherein when flat packed the holder is no morethan 8 or 10 millimetres high.
 16. The insulating holder according toclaim 1, wherein the holder is provided to the end user fully assembledbut flat packed.
 17. The insulating holder according to claim 1, whereinonly a small action is required to erect the holder ready for use andthe small action is to squeeze the wall or sides of the holder or topush the base out.
 18. The insulating holder according to claim 1, theholder is made of biodegradable material.
 19. The insulating holderaccording to claim 1, wherein at least part of the holder ishydrophobic.
 20. The insulating holder according to claim 1, wherein atleast part of the holder is given a wax coating.